Advancements in Coating Technology

Breakthrough in Corrosion Science: New Electrochemical Method Measures Polymer Coating Degradation in Real Time A Hidden Battle on Metal Surfaces Now Revealed with Greater Precision Corrosion beneath protective coatings has long posed a serious challenge in fields ranging from automotive to energy infrastructure. Now, researchers have developed a novel electrochemical technique to directly measure the degradation rate of polymer coatings on iron—offering a powerful tool to assess the durability of painted or coated metal surfaces without invasive sampling. This advancement sheds light on the early stages of failure caused by cathodic disbondment and promises improved longevity predictions for critical infrastructure. Understanding the Degradation Challenge • The Protective Role of Polymer Coatings: • Paint or polymer coatings act as barriers that prevent corrosive elements like oxygen and water from reaching metal surfaces. • These coatings are used extensively in applications like pipelines, marine structures, automobiles, and bridges. • The Problem of Cathodic Disbondment: • When coatings are scratched or contain manufacturing defects, they can fail prematurely due to a process called cathodic disbondment. • This occurs when oxygen and water infiltrate the coating, triggering the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) at the buried metal interface. • The ORR generates reactive species that degrade the coating, leading to rapid corrosion underneath. • Challenges in Measuring Corrosion Rates: • Because the reaction occurs beneath a protective layer, traditional measurement techniques struggle to access the buried interface. • Techniques like potentiodynamic polarization require a counter electrode and can perturb the system, making real-world modeling difficult. Innovation in Electrochemical Sensing • Novel Electrochemical Technique: • The new approach circumvents limitations of traditional methods by enabling non-destructive measurement of the degradation rate at the metal-coating interface. • The method provides insights into the kinetics of the ORR without the need to remove or damage the protective coating. Why This Matters Corrosion costs the global economy billions of dollars annually, not just in repair but in lost productivity and environmental risk. This breakthrough offers a leap forward in predictive maintenance and materials engineering. By enabling accurate, non-invasive measurement of how fast coatings degrade, industries can prevent failures before they happen, reduce unplanned outages, and enhance safety across sectors. As infrastructure ages and environmental stressors increase, innovations like this one are essential to keeping our built environment resilient and secure. Black Rhino Protective Services BlackRhinoGroup.com Scaling now.

🌌 From Earth to the International Space Station – and back with data that could shape the future of space exploration! 🚀 Thrilled to announce that our latest research paper is now published in npj Materials Degradation, highlighting the performance of Ti/BN multifunctional coatings after 171 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS) in orbital exposure. These coatings faced the forces of atomic oxygen and cosmic radiations in outer space for ~6 months, and emerged with novel insights into their potential for future space missions including Artemis. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/emRPM9z3 Our Ti–2 vol.% hBN composite (wear and radiation resistant) coatings, deposited via Atmospheric Plasma Spray (APS) and Vacuum Plasma Spray (VPS), demonstrated strong resistance to space-induced degradation. VPS coatings displayed better performance due to phase transformations triggered by atomic oxygen, resulting in improved mechanical properties with no cracking or spallation. 🙏 This work was possible because of active collaboration among FIU Plasma Forming Laboratory and Cold Spray and Rapid Deposition (ColRAD), Cheol Park at NASA Langley Research Center, @Michael Renfro at Plasma Processes LLC and Prof.Sudipta Seal at the University of Central Florida. Congratulations to Sara Rengifo NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center for leading this collaboration and Abhijith Sukumaran, Ph.D. for the lead student researcher. 🛰️ Stay tuned for more detailed research on atomic-level phase evolution and elemental behavior post-space radiation exposure of these coatings. #ISS #SpaceResearch #MaterialsScience #NASA #ThermalSpray #Coatings #ExtremeEnvironments #SpaceTech #LunarMission #Artemis #ResearchInOrbit #npjMaterialsDegradation #BNcoatings #AtomicOxygen #Tribology #SurfaceEngineering #SpaceMaterials William W. Scott, Rony Murickan, Sang-Hyon Chu, Yifei Fu

🚀 Exciting News from NC State! Our research team has developed a groundbreaking laser technique to create ultra-high temperature ceramics, such as hafnium carbide (HfC), more efficiently and with less energy. This innovation has significant impacts for industries requiring materials that can withstand extreme heat, such as aerospace and nuclear energy. Traditional methods involve heating materials in furnaces at temperatures above 2,200°C, which is time-consuming and energy-intensive. Our new approach uses a 120-watt laser to sinter a liquid polymer precursor in an inert environment, transforming it into solid ceramic without the need for such extreme conditions. This technique offers two main applications: 1. Coating: Applying ultra-high temperature ceramic coatings to materials like carbon composites. 2. 3D Printing: Creating complex ceramic structures layer by layer, enabling more versatile and precise manufacturing. This advancement not only streamlines the production process but also opens new possibilities for designing components that can endure extreme environments. For more details, read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eE2Wh2TR #Innovation #MaterialsScience #NCStateResearch #AdvancedManufacturing

Discover how Cal Fire, in collaboration with Cal Poly Humboldt and UC Berkeley Disaster Lab, is pushing the boundaries of fire safety by testing innovative fire-resistant coatings under extreme conditions. Read in the latest Coatings Talk INSIGHT article on how this groundbreaking research could revolutionize wildfire resilience and protect communities from devastating fires. #CoatingsTalkINSIGHT #CoatingsTalk #ProtectiveCoatings #Coatings #FireProtection #FireResistantCoatings #CalFire #CalPolyHumboldt #UCBerkeley #Article

I’m thrilled to share my latest research paper on thermal barrier coating (TBC) for carbon fiber reinforced composites (CFRPs)! This work provides a novel solution of double-layered TBC with tunable thermal barrier performance by controlling porosity, pore size, pore shape, and pore distribution. With applications ranging from aerospace to automotive industries, our findings aim to pave the way for more efficient and durable composites. This work was performed in collaboration with Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) - Jeonbuk. Check out the paper for insights into our experimental methodologies and results! I look forward to your thoughts and discussions on this important topic. https://lnkd.in/gyGYuSk7 #PolymerMatrixComposite #CFRP #ThermalBarrierCoating #TBC #FlameSpraying #USU #KIST

In the expansive hangars of The Corpus Christi Army Depot, the process lines of Letterkenny Army Depot, and multiple field-maintenance locations, the US Army is rewriting the rules of aviation and missile maintenance when it comes to corrosion protection. In this FinishingAndCoating.com article at https://lnkd.in/gvGhUS_e the authors explain how the familiar brown conversion coatings — long associated with aircraft like the AH-64 Apache and UH-60 Black Hawk — are being phased out, and how this strategic shift is more than cosmetic. "It’s part of a broader initiative led by AMCOM's Heavy Metals Working Group to eliminate hexavalent chromium, a known carcinogen, and transition to safer alternatives across Army aviation platforms," writes Mark Feathers, Scott Howison, and Jasmine Briant from the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command and Ted Ventresca, president of CHEMEON Surface Technology. This article is a fascinating look at that new technology, eTCP. “We recognized that a technological advance in the chemistry of conversion coatings of aluminum had occurred under a Navy NESDI project, and the result was the development of eTCP,” Howison says. “It only made sense to partner with our Navy colleagues for a cross-service solution that could provide benefits to sustainability and readiness across the defense industrial base.” Thank you to Mark, Scott, Jasmine, and Ted for this great insight. #finishingandcoating #finishing #coating #surfacefinishing

𝟵𝟱% 𝗼𝗳 𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆-𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗣𝗜𝗗 – 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘁. A groundbreaking nanomaterial coating is transforming Potential Induced Degradation (PID) management in existing solar farms: The data: 🔹 Application cost: $12,800 per MW 🔸 Performance recovery: 4-7% 🔹 ROI timeline: 11-17 months 🔸 Extended panel lifespan: 5-8 years The revolutionary aspect? This hydrophobic dielectric coating can be applied robotically to existing installations without disassembly, guided by thermal imaging that identifies the highest-priority panels. Early adopters report dramatic performance recovery in PID-affected zones and enhanced resistance to future degradation. How much production are you losing to undiagnosed PID? Thermal analysis can tell you exactly.